When I was in grade school, my friends were into cartoons, comic books, and baseball cards.

Not me…I was into rock and roll!

At the time, I couldn’t get enough of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.  I even remember trying to play the opening lick of “Stairway to Heaven” on my recorder (that little flute instrument every kid got in school).

When I was 10, I somehow convinced my parents to buy me a second-hand electric guitar.  They also bought me a couple of books to help me figure my way around the instrument.  (Spoiler Alert: It was a total disaster!)

My parents eventually took me to the local music shop and signed me up for lessons with this guy named Erich.  He helped me understand the basics of the instrument, he tought me some chords, and he helped me learn some songs.  Before long, I was playing along with my favorite tunes.

I’m guessing you’re curious about the sales tax connection I’m about to make, right?  (I see you moving toward the edge of your chair!)

Many years ago, I created a sales tax matrix for a client’s Accounts Payable department.  For every state where they did business, the matrix detailed how each of their major purchase categories should be treated for sales tax purposes.

While this was a tremendous tool, it ended up not working.  (Cue the sound of an out-of-tune guitar).

Much to my chagrin, my client decided to just hand the matrix over to the Accounts Payable department without giving me the chance to train them on how to use it.

After a few months (and a ton of mistakes), we decided it was time to set up a “lunch-and-learn” for the group so I could teach them how to properly use the matrix.  It worked like a charm!  (Cue the sound of Jimi Hendrix going nuts on his Strat).

It was a quick tune-up that helped harmonize the Accounts Payable department with the sales tax matrix.  After that training session, they were making consistent sales tax decisions and finally using the matrix to its fullest potential.

If you’ve invested in a rockin’ instrument like a sales tax matrix, then think of how I tried to teach myself to play the guitar.  Consider some lessons from a pro to make sure you get the most out of your investment.  (Like I did with Erich!)

I’m always ready to accept new students who want to be sales tax rockstars too.  Let’s have a jam session!